Lady River Hawks Advance in WPIAL Playoffs
The Armstrong River Hawks girls` volleyball team won their first-round WPIAL playoff matchup last night to advance to next week’s showdown with undefeated-North Allegheny.
by Jonathan Weaver
Before their inaugural first-round playoff game, Senior Volleyball Captain Justyne Lasher said the Lady River Hawks varsity volleyball team was confident and motivated after an undefeated regular season.
That style of play continued as the team crushed the Connellsville Lady Falcons in three straight matches (25-22, 25-20 and 25-14) last night to advance in the WPIAL playoffs.
The Section 4-AAA champions won at Hempfield High School (Westmoreland County) and now will play the Section 3-AAA Champion North Allegheny Lady Tigers next week.
After the team returned to Manor Township about 10PM, Varsity Head Coach Andrea Lasher said
“It probably wasn’t our prettiest show, but the girls fought hard during the games and pulled the win when it counted,” Coach Lasher said.
Lasher, a fourth-grade teacher at West Hills Intermediate, said before the matches following a school pep rally that the relationship the athletes made with one another while playing in the Armstrong Indiana Volleyball Association (AIVA) club team helped the team achieve success.
“Working as a team has developed them into a very strong team,” Coach Lasher said. “I think that’s what has carried them the most.”
Student Council Co-Presidents Jenny Miller and Gina Roncher introduced the team during the pep rally before a 10-minute match versus seven faculty teachers.
Justyne saw similar success last year as a member of the Lady Sabers’ volleyball team – who won the WPIAL Championship.
She said this year’s team – filled with both Kittanning and Ford City athletes after both schools combined – faced every challenge.
“We definitely worked hard – there’s a lot of time and dedication that we put into this sport,” Justyne said. “We’re hoping to continue that tradition at Armstrong.”
Senior Co-Captain Taylar Wolfe said the team got through the matches by staying focus and motivated
Coach Lasher said the November 3 quarterfinal match-up against North Allegheny will be difficult, but that they are taking the same game-by-game approach.
“We have a long road ahead of us, and we have a tough road ahead of us,” Coach Lasher said. “But, the girls and I both agree (that) we’ll taking it one game at a time.”
The Lady River Hawks beat the Lady Tigers during their school tournament in a single match
“We know we have to play hard and have a positive attitude, but can we beat them? Yes,” Coach Lasher said. “Both teams are very good, and it’ll come down to who brings it on the court (Tuesday).”
Junior-High Principal Kirk Lorigan has been to all of the Lady River Hawks’ matches since his daughter, Madisyn, is on the junior-varsity squad.
“Coach Lasher is an amazing volleyball coach, a great person. And she is a wonderful role model for our kids,” Principal Lorigan said. “Her intensity and her intelligence for the game of volleyball is relayed to the kids.
“I can’t say enough good things about her coaching staff and how wonderful her kids are. Their success is great to see because they’re great students, great kids and good athletes.”
Principal Lorigan said Armstrong athletes may not have had the height advantage, but they “do a lot of things right.”
“I think this team has started a good name for Armstrong, and I think we’ll be strong for many years to come,” Coach Lasher said. “(But) this group here has to start it, and hopefully, they prove it in these playoffs.”
The site for next week’s game should be revealed in the next few days for fans and parents to attend.
Local Sports | jweaver October 29, 2015
No Comments
No comments yet.
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
